Paddle for the Edge

Paddle for the Edge is a data collection event driven by volunteer kayakers, canoeists, and stand-up paddle boarders.

2018 Data Collection Dates:

June 30 through July 22

Unless you completed training in 2017, you must attend a training session before submitting any data. We are offering several training dates and locations in 2018. They fill up quickly, so please register to reserve a spot.

About the Survey

In 2015, the Barnegat Bay Partnership (BBP) launched the first Paddle for the Edge event. Paddle for the Edge is a data collection event driven by volunteer kayakers, canoeists, and stand-up paddle boarders. So far volunteers have paddled a total of 50 miles of shoreline and collected more than 2,600 datapoints with their smartphones, while enjoying a great time out on the water!

We are continuing our efforts to survey the Barnegat Bay’s shoreline in 2018. If you are interested in participating, please sign up for one of the training sessions above.

Why DO we want your help describing Barnegat bay’s shorelines?

Land and water interact at the edge, sometimes dramatically (think Superstorm Sandy!). The bay’s shorelines are dynamic habitats, sometimes growing and sometimes eroding. Each shoreline is different, with the erosional (washing away) and accretional (trapping and accumulating) processes affected not only by physical forces (storm waves, boat wakes) but also by the presence of living species (mussels, plants).

Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Maryland Coastal Bays

The BBP’s survey includes various shoreline features and key biotic indicators, which help to assess conditions and identify what processes are impacting the bay’s shorelines. The indicators cover a range of processes, such as recreational use, shellfish growth, water quality, erosion and accretion, built structures, and plant and animal composition.

The data collected will help us monitor these critical bay shorelines and assist planners and resource managers in many ways — providing information about flooding and storm impacts, predicting how shorelines may react to sea-level rise, identifying potential restoration areas, and evaluating the recreational, habitat, and commercial value of our estuaries.

Frequently asked questions

1. I participated last year, do I still need to go through training this year?

No. If you attended training in 2017, you do not need to attend training again this year since all of the questions and the smart phone app are the same. However, if you attended training in 2015 or 2016, you must attend one of the training sessions in 2018. This will help give you a refresher of the Paddle for the Edge program.

2. I don’t have a smart phone, can I still participate?

Unfortunately, if you do not have a smart phone or access to a smart phone, it will be impossible for you to complete the survey. The Collector app developed for our project stores the data safely all in one place. It is how we get the most accurate GPS reading of where you are taking your points, and it keeps all the photo records together with the data you collect.

3. What if I don’t have my own kayak?

You will need to have a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddle board in order to participate in Paddle For the Edge. If you do not have your own, or have one to borrow, there are several retailers in the area that rent out kayaks and canoes.

4. I’m confused about the dates, when do I have to go out?

After attending one of the training sessions, you will be assigned a section of shoreline to paddle during the collection dates. At any time during the range of dates, you may go out and collect data points. You may go out more than once, after work, on the weekends, or whenever you have free time to enjoy paddling. There is no required day, as long as your section of shoreline is complete by the end date.

5. I can’t transport my kayak, do I get to choose where I kayak?

We understand if you don’t have the means to transport your kayak across the watershed. Please let us know at training if you need to kayak in a specific area. We will make every effort to assign you to an area near where you request. However, please have an open mind, it will take a lot of paddling to survey the entire bay! Lots of our volunteers last year were excited to discover new places to kayak!

If you have concerns or questions that are not listed here, they may be addressed during the training sessions or you can email [email protected] at any time.

Get Involved to Protect the Bay

Connect with organizations that are working every day to protect Barnegat Bay.